The Catacombs The Production Guide
Martin Landau archives
Critical Commentary

This evaluation of the first series episodes was written by script editor Johnny Byrne in 1975, after the first series had completed and while they were waiting for a decision on the second series. It is 9 pages including a title page, with three episodes per page.

This was written after the episodes had been completed, but before they had been seen by critics or the public (with the exception of the three episodes seen in the Italian compilation Spazio 1999). As an insider's view, it reflects production discussions (especially for Guardian of Piri and The Last Enemy) while viewers rated the episodes differently.

Compare the ratings with later critics.

Episodes are rated from 1 to 5 stars. Only one episode is 1 star, "poor":

Three more are 2 stars, "fair":

The oddest criticism is Guardian Of Piri, with Keith Wilson's design described as "too abstract for audience believability". See also this letter from Gerry Anderson to the Landaus shortly after filming. Despite this, early series publicity made heavy use of images from this set (see here), and most critics admired the striking visuals.

Six episodes score 5 stars, "excellent":

CRITICAL COMMENTARY ON

SPACE 1999 (1ST SERIES)

RATING VALUES: ***** Excellent
**** Good
*** Average
** Fair
* Poor

Ep.1: "BREAKAWAY"

CRITICAL COMMENT:

Sub-plots slow the build-up in the first half, which is also heavy on technical dialogue. Performance uncertain. Direction poor. However, main characters strongly established and good action sequences throughout, building to a spectacular finale.

GENERAL COMMENT:

Spectacle overcomes the picture's inherent weaknesses, and the ongoing dramatic theme of the series is strongly established at the end.

RATING:

****

Ep.2: "MATTER OF LIFE AND DEATH"

CRITICAL COMMENT:

An intriguing story with good performance and direction and a strong guest artiste. The show suffers from a lack of pace, but should maintain the viewers interest into the last act, where this weakness is largely redeemed by an exciting planet surface sequence.

GENERAL COMMENT:

Good average episode with considerable female interest.

RATING:

***

Ep.3: "BLACK SUN"

CRITICAL COMMENT:

Subject matter now of compelling interest to science fiction fans and the scientific community. The picture is a well-directed off-beat episode, with good all-round performance and strong human interest. However, it suffers considerably from lack of pace, but given the above comments, plus good production values it should maintain interest.

GENERAL COMMENT:

The slow pace and off-beat treatment of the picture does not recommend it for early transmission, however it will be an interesting show to transmit once the series has become established.

RATING:

****

Ep.4: "RING AROUND THE MOON"

CRITICAL COMMENT:

A good story, efficient performance and direction, with good up-beat pacing. The story however is badly plotted and this makes it somewhat confusing to follow in places. However, the picture is well- staged and builds to an exciting climax.

GENERAL COMMENT:

Good production values and the telling use of special effects, largely overcomes the picture's script weaknesses.

RATING:

***

Ep.5: "EARTHBOUND"

CRITICAL COMMENT:

Strong story, featuring interesting sympathetic aliens. Very competent direction and performance. Slow pacing, however, mars the general excellence of the picture.

GENERAL COMMENT:

The picture features two very strong guest artistes, one with a wide international appeal. Their presence, plus the other positive qualities, make this a good average picture.

RATING:

***

Ep.6: "ANOTHER TIME, ANOTHER PLACE"

CRITICAL COMMENT:

A story with strong, human interest and special appeal to the female audience. Direction good, with telling use made of special effects. However, the general pace is marred by the lethargic performance of Barry Morse.

GENERAL COMMENT:

The story embodies intriguing scientific notions, which should have a wide general appeal. A good average picture that could be transmitted anywhere in the schedule.

RATING:

****

Ep.7: "MISSING LINK"

CRITICAL COMMENT:

A well-staged picture with a guest artiste of international standing. Sadly, it is marred by the confusing nature of the story, which is too subtle for the general audience, the story points being open to too many interpretations.

GENERAL COMMENT:

The good direction and performance are so badly affected by the story treatment, that the picture should be put towards the end of the schedule.

RATING:

**

Ep.8: "GUARDIAN OF PIRI"

CRITICAL COMMENT:

The credibility of the picture is destroyed by a serious error in the planet surface set design, which is too abstract for audience believability. A pity since the show is well-directed and performed with an exciting guest artiste, whose starring role in the new Peter Sellers PINK PANTHER feature, will add a big plus to our picture.

GENERAL COMMENT:

The importance of credible set design has been brought home to us by our failure with this picture.

RATING:

***

Ep.9: "FORCE OF LIFE"

CRITICAL COMMENT:

This picture embodies all the elements we want in a science fiction series. has a strong, clear story, a good guest artiste, good performance and direction. It is well paced and has a spectacular ending.

GENERAL COMMENT:

The successful fusion of the dramatic and visual elements have made this an exciting picture.

RATING:

*****

Ep.10: "ALPHA CHILD"

CRITICAL COMMENT:

An absorbing story, well-paced, with good action and strong human interest. The picture is flawed however by the comic strip treatment of the last two acts.

GENERAL COMMENT:

Had the development of the alien characters been maintained, this would have been an excellent picture. Apart from missed opportunity, this is a good average picture.

RATING:

***

Ep.11: "THE LAST SUNSET"

CRITICAL COMMENT:

An ambitious story, with good action, strong performance and direction and wide human interest. However, the picture never measures up to its full potential, owing to its weak technical realisation. Disappointing for us, but a good episode which could be very well received.

GENERAL COMMENT:

A good average picture except for the technically discerning audience.

RATING:

***

Ep.12: "VOYAGER'S RETURN"

CRITICAL COMMENT:

A well-plotted science- fiction notion, with strong guest artiste. The picture is marred by the floor direction and claustrophobic atmosphere which weakens the overall effect.

GENERAL COMMENT:

The relevant nature of the story plus good production values just about overcome the basic directorial weaknesses. A good average episode.

RATING:

***

Ep.13: "COLLISION COURSE"

CRITICAL COMMENT:

A good story, well-paced, with spectacular action and story climax. The production values are excellent and the guest artiste is a famous marquee name - Margaret Leighton.

GENERAL COMMENT:

An all round excellent picture in which all the elements work.

RATING:

*****

Ep.14: "DEATH'S OTHER DOMINION"

CRITICAL COMMENT:

A well-written story, superbly directed, with excellent performances and outstanding production values. This is a beautifully realised picture and a good episode to screen for the discerning critics.

GENERAL COMMENT:

From a mature, critical point of view, our best episode.

RATING:

*****

Ep.15: "THE FULL CIRCLE"

CRITICAL COMMENT:

A good basic story idea that was spread much too thinly throughout the picture. The overall effect is also marred by poor direction, but the intriguing nature of the story idea helps to balance these, negative qualities.

GENERAL COMMENT:

An average picture with special appeal to younger viewers.

RATING:

***

Ep.16: "END OF ETERNITY"

CRITICAL COMMENT:

A good story idea, marred by bad casting in the main guest spot. (The artiste in question was very competent, but wrong for the part.) The picture maintains story interest for the first two acts, but there-after suffers from a lack of believability, which weakens it considerably.

GENERAL COMMENT:

The intriguing story notion, and good production values never quite recover from the effects of bad casting in the guest spot.

RATING:

**

Ep.17: "WAR GAMES"

CRITICAL COMMENT:

Our most spectacular picture, with quite outstanding action sequences. Performance and direction are superb and the story maintains interest throughout. However, the script suffers from a major lack of effective plotting in the sense that it opens on such a high point of spectacular action that the rest of the picture, though excellent and exciting, seems anti-climatic by comparison.

GENERAL COMMENT:

The construction faults are overcome by the spectacular nature of the episode.

RATING:

*****

Ep.18: "THE LAST ENEMY"

CRITICAL COMMENT:

This picture is one of our failures. It went seriously wrong on the floor and needed extensive reshoots.
Performance and direction are extremely poor, and even the high special effects content fail to rescue it.

GENERAL COMMENT:

The high special effects content might just make it acceptable to the undiscerning viewer.

RATING:

*

Ep.19: "THE TROUBLED SPIRIT"

CRITICAL COMMENT:

An unusual story that combines a good science-fiction notion with the ghost story. It is well-directed with good atmosphere and performance. The pacing however, is a little slow.

GENERAL COMMENT:

An above average picture that could go anywhere in the transmission schedule after the first six episodes.

RATING:

****

Ep.20: "SPACE BRAIN"

CRITICAL COMMENT:

A complicated story notion that fails to measure up effectively in visual terms. The picture is well directed and performed and has some spectacular sequences. It suffered from lack of visual credibility however, and required major surgery in the cutting rooms.

GENERAL COMMENT:

Despite major faults, this is now a reasonable episode, with good production values.

RATING:

***

Ep.21: "THE INFERNAL MACHINE"

CRITICAL COMMENT:

A strong story, somewhat slow in pace, with excellent performance and direction, and a distinguished guest artiste. This is a thoughtful picture, with strong human interest, marred somewhat by the claustrophobic setting.

GENERAL COMMENT:

The picture is strong on performance but weak on action. Nevertheless, it is a first-rate episode.

RATING:

****

Ep.22: "MISSION OF THE DARIANS"

CRITICAL COMMENT:

A very ambitious episode in terms of story, sets and number of artistes involved. Performance and direction are excellent, the pace is fast and the controversial subject matter is delicately handled. This is a picture with high screen value.

GENERAL COMMENT:

A strong picture excitingly realized - one of our best.

RATING:

*****

Ep.23: "DRAGON'S DOMAIN"

CRITICAL COMMENT:

An excellent picture, well-paced with good performance and direction. The picture has as its villain a believable B.E.M. - bug-eyed monster - and as a result has a wide-ranging appeal. Excellent story, and outstanding production values.

GENERAL COMMENT:

An ideal picture in many ways, but sadly too expensive to repeat.

RATING:

*****

Ep.24: "TESTAMENT OF ARKADIA"

CRITICAL COMMENT:

A strong story of profound human interest. The picture is marred by weak direction and indifferent guest performance. Had the story material been fully exploited this would have made an excellent picture. As it now stands, this is a good average episode.

GENERAL COMMENT:

A thoughtful picture, down in pace, and basically unsatisfactory due to its missed opportunities.

RATING:

***

Copyright Martin Willey